be helpful for meetings. The support group we established continued even after I graduated! I learned that Parkinson’s caregivers are just beat, with no one to talk to. This provided information and socialization for them. It made a difference in the community, and as a direct-out-of-high-school person to see this firsthand—wow. It made me think about what else I could do as a nurse. I respected faculty as nursing role models who helped me to realize my potential and hoped that I could do that one day for others.”
She’s learning the job’s scope. “Every day is different. In addition to maintaining program excellence, I have been working on a strategic plan, program accreditation and just talking with folks to establish and build upon partnerships. Our Physician Assistant accreditation visit went well this fall, and our Nurse Practitioner program visit is scheduled for February. The school has restructured, so now I am also chief nurse administrator for nursing programs. I see myself as a coordinator and facilitator. I move individuals and groups toward goals.”
Age 25 and already a nurse practitioner (NP) with a master’s degree and several years of pediatric and long-term care experience, she then spent five years in a family practice office before hearing from a friend about a faculty need in pediatrics at USF.
She never forgets support for current programs is crucial. “I hire faculty and staff, approve contracts, conduct evaluations and even teach,” she said. “I’m acclimating to the role and how SOHS fits into the larger picture through planning and budgeting.
“I interviewed, started in the summer and then went full-time in 2001,” she said. “I became director for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs in 2008, and enjoyed administration and teaching responsibilities. I have appreciated the opportunity to grow at USF, through faculty mentors and continuing education.”
“I’m excited and energized by the future of healthcare and nursing and how we are positioned. We prepare excellent healthcare practitioners who often have multiple job offers after graduation. Our accreditation, our pass rates, we’re all there. I will continue the quality of our programs and assess our positioning to expand.”
Taking the bull by the horns comes naturally. “I’m the oldest of four, with three younger brothers. I was always the second mother and could hold my own,” she said. “I’m very competitive. I love athletics and played college volleyball. I look for challenges.” So 13 years later, she’s SOHS dean, learning her role and clear on her mission. She sees close relationships with clinical partners and expanded online studies as keys to continued success. “We need to build bridges between education and practice with Parkview, Lutheran and our Franciscan Alliance healthcare systems,” she said. “We should also broaden our reach to prospective healthcare students through programs like our online RN-BSN. Since it was fully online in fall 2012, the program has grown 350 percent. That’s significant.”
Her passion and competitiveness transfer to the non-professional arena. “I like any game, strategy, cards or board games, and my husband and I frequently play games with other couples,” she said. “I like volleyball, golf and being outside with my kids. I’m a scrapbooker, and I like to see first-run movies, host and cook.” In her spare time, she earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2011 at the University of Minnesota, completing a full-time curriculum in 12 months by working full-time in the fall and taking a spring sabbatical to get it done. Typical.
saint francis magazine | winter 2014
31